Guilded Cage

Posted on Mon Dec 31st, 2018 @ 12:14am by Senior Captain Connor McKinney M.D. PhD & Lieutenant Cole Dering M.D., M.S. & Commander Lilly Cavallo MD
Edited on on Mon Dec 31st, 2018 @ 12:17am

Mission: The First Step...
Location: CMO Office/Phlox Medical Patient Area
Timeline: 2388/08/25 1600 (August 25 2388 4:00pm)

Having stripped down to her tank top the blue jacket with her rank and insignia lay without thought spread across her desk. A series of sketches were scattered atop the desk and one in particular was being consulted by the drops of water and grey sand that stained the page. Lilly herself was up to her elbows in warm water, trying to get a small rock formation to stay in place. The rest of the layout was complete, it was just this part that would not stay where she placed it. The filtration mechanism was simple, and built into the bottom panel of the aquarium. When it was complete she would have a completely enclosed aquatic ecosystem.

"Bak!" the silver skinned woman swore as she let the rock fall upon its side again and pulled her arm out of the enclosure. Checking her sketches again she heaved a great sigh as she dried her hands on a towel she had cast over her shoulder. The majority of the enclosure was done with the stone and sand laid, and eventually water would cascade down a series of river rocks in miniature waterfall to the tank below, where the fish would be housed. With another muttered word, she gazed at the offending rock formation, as if it had personally wronged her.

Connor walked in, his eyes taking in both her and the situation. He recognized her from her file image and description, and had a quick thought of how neither one did her justice. But it wasn't just her physiology that made her interesting to him; she had a very impressive record. He felt fortunate the Campus was able to get her on such short notice. "Doctor Cavallo."

"Yes?" she asked before she turned to view whoever had entered her office. Casting a look over her shoulder, her cool blue eyes flicked over the uniform, to the rank pins and then to the man's face. Taking a quiet breath she could smell the stress around him. Straightening up and brushing the sand off her hands. "Sir, good afternoon."

He gave her a slight nod and turning his attention to the aquarium, started unfastening his uniform jacket. "It looks like you could use some help." he said.

"Always happy to have an extra hand" was her response as her eyes raked over the tall man, taking him in. "I am not tall enough, or perhaps not at the correct angle to get the stone arch to settle properly. If I had known that a Terran aquarium would be so hard to install, I would have had the engineers assist me."

Having tossed his jacket over the back of a chair, Connor started looking over the sketches on her desk. "Well it's easier than it seems when one first gets started." he said glancing up at her. Moving over to the enclosure he took a look at the set up, his eyes going over what she had accomplished so far.

Lilly laughed softly and shook her head her white curls trembling around her face. "All evidence to the contrary I'm afraid."

"I think you've done...a bonza job." he said reaching inside, gently and carefully feeling along the area where she had been building the waterfall, a look of concentration on his face. "Ahh...I think I know what the problem is. Do you have any fishline?" he asked, pulling his arm back out.

"What is fish-line?" she asked quietly cocking her head to one side wondering just what bonza meant exactly. Must be a local slang term. "And do share with the rest of the class."

Connor looked at her and replied. "Fishline...it's a strong plastic string used with a fishing rod...to catch fish...'n' obviously," he smiled knowingly and gestured at the sketches on her desk, "not on the list of supplies."

"So it would seem" Lilly answered with a wry smile. "Denobula only has fish in the coastal regions and I have never attempted to catch one. I might have to make time to attempt it."

"Aye." Connor smiled as he went over to the bathroom cubicle in her office to wash his hands. He left the door open and continued, "Fishline has many uses, but I think.." he said drying off his hands and thinking about it more, "a small wedge of polystyrene would work even better for holding a dripline in place. It's the dripline that's keeping the stone arch from settling properly." He grabbed his uniform jacket and started putting it back on. "Right now we have a patient to see, Doctor Cavallo." he said, glancing up at her . "If you would like, I'll get that wedge 'n' show you how to solve your problem here later this afternoon."

"Ah yes, definitely. The young lady, Ms. Khan. I am assuming if she were not doing well that she would be here, and I need but to sign off officially on her health?" Removing her hands from the tank she patted the side of it affectionately and then walked into the bathroom. Lilly washed her hands and made sure her curls were in place with their comb before exiting.

"That's for us to decide." Connor said as he grabbed her uniform jacket, and handing it to her as they went out the door.

~~~

Cole stood outside Kelly's room, having just walked out when he seen them coming from the other direction. He smiled at their approach.

"Doctor McKinney, good arvo." he said, knowing the Aussie slang word for afternoon, and then looked over at Lilly. "Boss...

"Afternoon Cole." Lilly answered politely, glancing between the two men.

Cole had smiled at Lilly's use of his first name, and awkwardly continued, "I Just finished checking in our patient. I have to say she is doing much better than I expected...she would be...doing.."

"Doctor Dering." Connor interrupted, staring at him, "May I?" he gestured to the patient file in Cole's hands.

"Oh..of course, Sir." Cole answered, and handed it over.

A snort of amusement escaped the Doctor before she could sensor herself, and her cheeks colored a little bit. Wondering just how much she could tease the man "Now now Sir, don't hog all the information for yourself"

Not realizing it, Cole held in a breath as he looked between the two.

Connor's brow had furrowed as he glanced over at her. He went back to reading the file in his hand, "Say pretty please, Doc." and then looked over to Cole. "Any samples sent to the lab?" he asked before handing the file over to her.

"Yes, Sir," Cole replied, his eyes still went between the two, "Sent there about ten minutes ago."

Lilly's delicate laugh rang out over them and as she accepted the PADD with the file she spoke the words he'd asked for "Pretty please?"

His eyes going back over to her, Connor wryly smiled. He turned back to Cole, "We'll take it from here, Lieutenant, thank you."

"Yes, Sir. Boss." Cole smiled, and then started walking away, turning around to walk backwards as he said, "I'll just continue with my patient rounds although there's only one more." He winced, "An engineer with a stubborn rash on his..." and was cut off as he went through another door.

Not sure what to think of Cole, Connor shook his head, and then gestured out an arm for Lilly to lead the way into the patient room.


In her room, Kelly sat cross legged on her bed with a battered PADD in her hands. A frown crossed her features as she tapped one finger on the edge of the PADD, her other hand making some adjustments on it. As yet, she hadn't composed another song about her emotions like Doctor D had suggested and wasn't sure how to start.

There was a knock before the door opened, and two people she had never seen before entered the room.

Kelly looked up and sat the PADD down. "Hi," she said. "Here to take more samples, tests, or to see if I'm still kicking?"

"I would prefer no kicking, I bruise easily" A grin punctuated the brief pause as the term registered in her memory and she continued undaunted. "Ah yes, that is human slang for being alive. Right you are Ms. Khan. "

"I won't kick you, and you are correct, Commander...." Kelly had no idea who the woman was, but she smiled. "Please call me Kelly."

"Kelly then." Lilly edited with another smile, as she pulled out a medical tricorder. "Lets get this over with shall we, so you can get back to your fun."

Connor had stood at the end of the bed giving the two the chance to interact before he introduced himself. "Hi Kelly." He walked over to the other side of the bed, and held out his hand to her. "I'm Doctor McKinney 'n' this.." he looked over to Lilly and smiled, "is Doctor Cavallo."

Accepting his hand, Kelly gave it a firm shake, making eye contact with him. "A pleasure Doctor McKinney," she said before looking at the other doctor. "Doctor Cavallo, if you can help me get out of here faster, I'll do anything you want. Except eat Gragh, that is."

"Not a fan of Klingon food eh?" Lilly teased as she brushed an ivory curl back behind her ear. "Don't worry, still living food is not one of my sorcerous methods" The doctor wiggled her fingers at Kelly with another of her famous smiles.

Kelly snapped her teeth together a foot away from Doctor Cavallo's fingers. "Then don't offer me living food that isn't Klingon. However, you can give me all the real chocolate you want."

"You can have my chocolate ration-except for certain types, I am not a fan of the stuff." Running the medscanner over the girl she looked at the resulting screen thoughtfully.

"How could anyone not like chocolate?" Kelly asked, distracting herself from what the doctor was doing.

"It's pretty easy for someone who's not fully human" Lilly answered with good humor in her voice. "There are a few ways I find it palatable-and I've heard as an additive it's delightful."

Kelly suddenly remembered Adonai's reaction to chocolate and the grin fell from her face as she took note of the silvery sheen on Doctor Cavallo's skin. "You have a good point," she said. "I love it in almost every form, but not everyone can have it."

"Kelly.." Connor directed her back to him. While Lilly looked over her scanning results, he had a few questions. "How are you feeling?"

Kelly looked at Doctor McKinney and thought for a moment. "Tired, run down, bored, excited to be here on the campus, looking forward to getting out of Medical, and with my hands."

Smiling at the last of her statement, Connor grabbed a nearby stool and sat on it beside her biobed. He wanted to believe her feeling rundown was due to the trip, yet not taking it for granted, he asked her, "If you were to compare today to yesterday, would you say you're feeling better, worse, or the same?"

"Better on the health aspect, but going out of my mind with nothing to do," Kelly said. "I like to be active and I can't even go down the hall without someone offering me a hoverchair."

Tearing her eyes from the readout she smiled at the rapport the two had, it was quite sweet. Lilly decided to dangle a 'carrot' before the girl as a reward. "Well, there's no medical reason you can't be more active. If you follow a certain, very specific set of rules of course..."

Connor raised an eyebrow and looked up to her, "Aye...'n' with...the possibility as an outpatient, Doc?"

"Outpatient?" Kelly looked hopeful, then narrowed her eyes. "What rules?"

"One: You see me every day, without fail. Two: No high impact exercises, none of the phys-ed that the cadets are expected to do first thing. I don't want to see you up on the climbing wall for instance, but you can swim and do the flexibility exercises. You can make up the physical training once we get this fixed. Three: Any symptoms that are unusual at all, I want you back here. And lastly, there are some dietary things I wish to try with you. None of them are unpalatable, but they might help this be over and done with faster. How does that sound in exchange for your freedom?"

She frowned at the phsy-ed part, but nodded. "Umm..what kind of dietary things, Doctor Cavallo?" She asked her, hoping that chocolate wouldn't be off the menu. "Is dancing okay?"

Lilly laughed softly "Is there something specific you'd like to keep in your diet child? As for dancing, you would have to demonstrate the type of dancing you mean. Denobulan social dances would be right out...but I am not familiar with many human dances."

"Yes. Meat is also a must. In regards to my dancing, it's more improvisation to go with my violin playing," Kelly said trying to think of a way to describe her style. "Some moves could be considered ballet-like while others are jerky movements that flow into twists, spins and more. I'd be happy to invite you to a performance when I get established on campus."

"I would find that quite enjoyable." was the Doctor's response as she pulled up a PADD "I would say as far as dietary goes, I will add a supplement to your diet. If you can increase your water intake, tightly manage your salt intake and eat at least 2 meals per week that include fish, I will not restrict your meat intake. I will ask that you not have the same species of meat animal twice in a row."

"I can do that," Kelly said, pleased that the restrictions weren't that bad. "What about caffeine?"

"No more than 100 mg per day, and not all at one time." glancing at the young woman Lilly couldn't help but smile. "We'll get that added back in as soon as I get a good look at your lab values. I know how important caffeine is for human students"

Kelly thought for a moment, then grinned. "What about guarana berries? Can I have those?"

Connor sat there observing the exchange. Someone who avoided caffeine, he knew what guarana berries were, and from his point of view, it seemed as if the young woman was testing the doc.

Her fingers tapped the PADD she'd brought with her. Glancing over the specs of this "You can have those, or coffee but not both."

Now she felt guilty and looked up at Doctor Cavallo. "I don't drink coffee, Doc. I promise that I'll stick to under one hundred milligrams of caffeine a day. Is there an alternative energy booster that's natural?"

"If you sleep, then alternative energy boosters won't be necessary, however I can do some research into it to get you one before classes begin that will not interact with your medications" Lilly promised her quietly, making a note of it.

"I sleep," Kelly said. "I also play violin, dance, swim, ride Bolian vector boards, run, practice three types of martial arts, and read."

"You'll need to ease back in to any physical activity." Connor interjected, getting back off the stool, "Like Doc Cavallo said, a very specific set of rules." and he added firmly moving the stool back, "Small amounts of chocolate, no guarana berries..." finishing with, ''n' you'll be provided a discharge plan you'll be expected to follow."

Curses! He knows about guarana berries. Time to switch gears before I end up in here forever. Outwardly, she nodded and sighed. "Yes, Doctor McKinney. I understand, Sir."

Connor nodded back, at first appearing satisfied, then ran a hand over his mouth as he started heading towards the door. Internally he was in a battle for it hadn't been that long ago he was the cmo of another large facility and he was finding it hard not to take over. "Of course she's released on your say, Doctor Cavallo." he said, turning to face them both as the door opened.

"I'll sign off on it, provided she remains on good behavior." she responded, raising an eyebrow at the man who now appeared slightly unsure of himself. Interesting, we are going to butt heads once or twice aren't we?

Kelly wanted to sputter and fume; she had agreed to Doctor McKinney, assuming that he was the one in control of her release by virtue of rank...and he turned it over to Doctor Cavallo. She bit her lip - very little chocolate, very little caffeine, and she had to take it easy in the meantime? She wanted to bite someone, but kept her mouth shut and hoped her eyes didn't reveal the inner Klingon that wanted to rage and go for blood.

Lilly watched the play of emotions over her face and hid a smile at the fierceness of the young girl.

"Oh, don't worry," Kelly assured Doctor Cavallo. "I'll be on my best behavior." Inwardly, she wondered if the woman had any idea what her best behavior was and exactly how far she would go to achieve her goals.


***



Doctor Lilly Cavallo
CMO
Magellan Campus

&

Doctor Connor McKinney
Dean
Magellan Campus

&

Cadet Kelly Khan
Magellan Academy

&

Doctor Cole Dering
Assistant Cmo/Surgeon
Magellan Campus